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inDUfed in the loop |
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- Meetings with the new Belgian federal government
Following the formation of the new federal government, inDUfed has established contacts with the ministers of importance to our sectors. We have already had a number of productive meetings with:
24/04/2025 – Cabinet De Wever: meeting with the Prime Minister's Economy Advisor
06/05/2025 – Cabinet Jambon: meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Combating Tax Fraud and Pensions, and his Energy Advisor
19/05/2025 – Cabinet Crucke: meeting with the Minister for Mobility, Climate, and Environmental Transition's Deputy Chief of Cabinet and Environment Advisor
02/06/2025 – Cabinet Prévot: meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs' European Affairs Advisor, Energy Advisor, and Climate & Environment Advisor
20/06/2025 – Cabinet Bihet: meeting with the Minister of Energy
25/06/2025 – Cabinet Clarinval: meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, Economy, and Agriculture
In parallel, at regional level, meetings were held with:
25/04/2025 – Cabinet Diependaele: meeting with the Minister-President of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Culture, ICT and Facility Management's Advisor Industry, Defence, International Affairs
25/04/2025 – Cabinet Depraetere: meeting with the Deputy Minister-President of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister for Housing, Energy and Climate's Energy & Climate Advisor
Topics of discussion included, at the federal and regional levels, the pensions system, shiftwork, sick leaves, energy pricing; and some European topics including the PPWR, CBAM/ETS and EUDR. |
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- Webinar with John Cockerill
On 23 April, inDUfed organised an exclusive webinar with Eric Vander Vorst, Chief Technology and Development Officer at John Cockerill. Together with colleagues, Thomas Thoelen, Project Engineer, Constanza Perez d'Amigo, Project Engineer, and Jean-Michel Wautelet, Business development and sales manager, Eric Vander Vorst offered insights into energy efficiency and the decarbonisation of industrial processes.
John Cockerill is a good example of a Belgian company who has successfully stood the test of time while remaining true to its roots. Today, the company is well known for – among other things – its expertise in decarbonisation of industrial processes.
Our federation brings together several sectors, which themselves include all sorts of companies – big and small, active in production as well as in transformation processes, at varying degrees of maturity in their respective path towards decarbonisation. The agenda of the presentation was adapted to cater to a variety of challenges our members may be facing:
- Industrial energy efficiency - context and challenges
- Methodology - steps and priorities in energy efficiency analysis
- Decarbonization technologies and energy integration
- Energy audit and transformation steps
- Case Studies - Savings and ROI
Should you wish to learn more about the presentation, please contact Emilie Butaye, our Head of Sustainability, at emilie.butaye@indufed.be, +32 477 58 90 96. |
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- Meeting with Frédéric Panier, CEO of AKT for Wallonia
On 21 February, inDUfed Managing director Thomas Davreux, together with former presidents, Olivier Douxchamps (Knauf Insulation) and Emmanuel Hazard (AGC Glass Europe) met with Frédéric Panier, CEO of AKT for Wallonia.
Discussions emphasized AKT for Wallonia and its extensive network's engagement to work together with our paper and glass industries towards a prosperous, innovative and sustainable industrial future in Wallonia and Belgium.
inDUfed then met with AKT later in May, within the framework of the Walloon Industrial Forum, which gathered Ministers Pierre-Yves Jeholet and Cécile Neven along with various industrial federations (Fediex, essenscia, Embuild Wallonia, Fevia, Fedustria, Agoria, FEBELCEM), as well as representatives of the administration at AGC in Louvain-la-Neuve.
The theme of the meeting was 'Transition to a carbon-neutral economy within an economically sustainable framework.' This Forum, intended as a direct and effective channel of communication between Walloon industries and public authorities, has enabled a clear agreement to be reached on the priority issues on which the Walloon region will move forward quickly together with all interested parties to ensure the competitive decarbonisation of our industry. |
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Members News |
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- InDUfed is happy to welcome Ciner Glass Belgium as a new member
In 2026, Ciner Glass Belgium will open its new state of the art factory in Lommel, Limburg, a region with a long-standing connection with glass. With economic regeneration and social development at the heart of its values, the company is investing in the site with the conviction that the 550 direct and 500 indirect jobs it is creating will be an additional and lasting catalyst of prosperity for the region.
The company projects a yearly production of around 2 billion bottles, with sustainability as the cornerstone of its production process. For example, Ciner Glass aims to limit its energy consumption by using up to 75% recycled glass for every bottle instead of the industry standard of 50%. The use of recycled glass enables a lower production temperature: while standard glass is traditionally formed at 1,500 degrees, recycled glass melts at 1,200 degrees. |
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- Facilitation of EU-Level Discussions for Essity
On 24 March, we had the pleasure of hosting Essity for EU-wide discussions. We also facilitated a meeting between Essity and Belgian MEP Pascal Arimont. Mr. Arimont brings valuable insights from his roles on the Committee on Regional Development, the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety and the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.
Such activities are a testament to our ongoing dedication to fostering collaboration and progress also at the EU level. |
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Hosted by Thomas Davreux, Lieve Vanlierde and Emilie Butaye, and chaired by Ronny Van Broekhoven, the General Assembly and Board of Directors of the Belgian Glass Industry were two important events this week to meet and discuss the main challenges facing our industries.
The meetings were followed by a visit to the Knauf Insulation site in Visé, which recently obtained the #FactoryoftheFuture certification. Plant Manager Olivier Douxchamps presented the assets that make this site a pioneer in innovation, safety, sustainability, efficiency and personnel management.
Should you be interested in running for the certification yourself, please contact Thomas.Pollet@indufed.be. |
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Social Affairs |
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- WEBINARS « new 'bis' rule concerning the exemption from withholding tax for shift work, continuous work, and night work"
In response to the introduction of the new 'bis' rule concerning the exemption from withholding tax for shift work, continuous work, and night work, inDUfed partnered with SEBP, a Belgian company specialized in reducing labour costs, to provide its members with clear and practical guidance. To that end, Dutch and French-language webinars were held in early February, offering an overview of the practical implications of the new rules and giving participants the opportunity to ask their questions in real time.
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- Sophie van Rijckevorsel takes on a new professional challenge!
After several years as Senior Social Advisor, Sophie van Rijckevorsel is leaving our federation for a new professional adventure. Her expertise and commitment have been essential to our members, and we warmly thank her.
Her successor will be arriving at the end of June and will be introduced then. In the meantime, our team remains at your service! |
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Environment |
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- Advancing Towards Climate Neutrality in the Glass Industry
Introduced by inDUfed's Managing Director and Glass Alliance Europe President Thomas Davreux, Glass Alliance Europe organised on 26 May an event to discuss the Clean Industrial Deal. Gathering representatives of both the European Parliament and the European Commission, the event looked into how the legislation's ambition of "turning decarbonisation into a driver of growth for European industries" translates for the European glass industry.
Discussions focused on answering key questions for the sector and its achieving climate neutrality amidst ongoing trade wars and the energy crisis.
- What will affordable energy look like for our industries?
- How will boosting the demand for clean products be of impact?
- What constitutes clean manufacturing?
- How will the access to critical raw materials be ensured?
This gathering underscored the importance of collaborative efforts and innovative solutions in driving the glass industry towards a sustainable future. We are committed to continuing our work with industry leaders and policymakers to ensure that the glass sector remains at the forefront of environmental stewardship and economic resilience.
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- Challenges and Opportunities of Renovation in Wallonia
On 21 March, we had the pleasure of welcoming Cécile Neven, Walloon Minister for Energy, Air-Climate Planning, Housing and Airports, at Knauf Insulation. Together with Olivier Douxchamps, Director of the Knauf Insulation Visé factory, and Thomas Davreux, our Managing Director, we discussed the challenges and opportunities for renovation in Wallonia.
Knauf Insulation is a key player in the research and development of new technologies in recycling and artificial intelligence applied to renovation. Thomas Baguette, David Ducarme and Guilhem Galandrin, offered us their insights on the topic.
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- A step towards sustainable innovation
On 21 March, Olivier Douxchamps, Plant Manager at Knauf Insulation Visé, and Thomas Davreux, our Managing Director, had the honour of welcoming MEP Pascal Arimont to the Knauf Insultation production site in Visé.
Together with Thomas Baguette and David Ducarme, they discussed several key topics:
- Knauf's approach to recycling in the production of glass wool, including their ambitions and challenges.
- Knauf's approach to the renovation of social housing in Belgium.
The visit emphasised the commitment to innovation and sustainability in the glass sector. |
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- Collaborations for a Sustainable Future
On 14 February, we welcomed Cécile Neven, Walloon Minister for Energy, Air-Climate Planning, Housing and Airports, at Burgo Ardennes . Her visit highlighted the considerable efforts being made by our paper and cardboard industry for a decarbonized future, including the use and production of renewable energy on site as well as the search for alternative fuels.
Our discussions covered crucial topics such as the voluntary energy agreement, or "carbon convention," and support mechanisms for decarbonisation. |
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The decision has been made, the new packaging and packaging waste regulation has been published in the European official journal. This means that the dates on which this legislation will come into force and apply are known:
- PPWR will come into force on 11 February 2025
- PPWR will apply from 12 August 2026
Work can now begin on drafting the extensive series of secondary legislative texts. Work has already begun on this and CEN is busy answering the extremely important question 'What is a recyclable packaging?'. inDUfed is represented in these working groups, but cannot emphasise enough that all companies active in the packaging world would do well to actively participate in these discussions.
Interested parties can obtain more information from Willem van Veen of inDUfed.
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- CSRD – Corporate Sustainability Reposting Directive
The first omnibus package includes a proposal to significantly simplify the CSRD or Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. The main changes are
- Scope adjustment: only companies with more than 1000 full-time employees will have to comply with the CSRD.
- A significant reduction in the number of data points is proposed. The standards developed by EFRAG would be simplified and based on the voluntary standard for SMEs, the VSME
- Only limited assurance would be required and no longer reasonable assurance
All this is still just a proposal, but we are still hopeful that it will be finalised before the end of this year. |
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- Presentation Smither Pira in contact with foodstuffs
inDUfed was able to speak at the Smithers Pira Plastic&Paper in contact with Foodstuffs Conference in Vienna thanks to its holding the chairmanship of the PIJITF (Packaging Ink Joint Industry Task Force).
The presentation covered the guidance published by the PIJITF on transparency in the value chain and what information is necessary to carry out a proper risk assessment.
The PIJITF guidance can be found here: PIJITF (Packaging ink joint industry task force) - Eupia
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Energy |
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- Energy cost and energy norm – inDUfed points of attention
With the new federal government agreement and the appointment of Mr Bihet as Minister of Energy, the cost of energy, and electricity in particular, is back on top of the political agenda. At the end of 2024, a motion for a resolution was tabled calling on the federal government to implement the complete federal energy norm without delay.
In this context, inDUfed reiterates its demands:
- Firstly, limit the total cost envelope for infrastructure investment by making the right technological choices (see CREG study on AC/DC costs, islands, etc.).
- Use general resources to finance part of this transition to greater electrification.
- Avoid exemptions leading to additional increases for other industrial customers and cogeneration users.
- The federal energy norm should be supplemented at regional level: many companies that are also at a competitive disadvantage are on the distribution network.
- The federal energy norm itself should be implemented with legal certainty and as quickly as possible as requested in the Parliament's resolution.
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- Carbon convention in Wallonia – energy audit deadline
The first commitment of companies that joined the inDUfed carbon community is to carry out an energy audit within the first year. This energy audit, together with a long-term strategic vision, a comprehensive action plan and a proposal for a binding target focusing on either energy efficiency, carbon or renewable energy, must be submitted to the SPW (Public Service of Wallonia) by 5 June 2025. These audits will then be evaluated in accordance with the AMUREBA methodology and the level of ambition expected from the carbon conventions. After the summer, the members' targets will be aggregated in order to determine the inDUfed communities ambition by the end of 2025. We will continue our work to support our members, the administration and the cabinet in the pragmatic implementation of this tool for the decarbonisation of Walloon industry. |
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Paperpackskills |
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- Paperpackskills welcomes new colleague
On Monday 2 June 2025, Paperpackskills happy to welcome our new colleague and sector consultant Emma Van Heddegem. Emma holds a Bachelor's degree in innovation management from Erasmus University College Brussels and a MicroDegree sustainability coordinator from HoGent. Emma was working in education and makes the switch to our sector fund with great enthusiasm. We warmly welcome her. |
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- Paperpackskills organises paper production training for teachers
On Monday 16 June 2025, Paperpackskills will organise a first 'paper production' training course for teachers from secondary school graphics courses. This was accomplished in cooperation with Storaenso. The teachers will receive training on the paper production process, after which they can visit the company. This training is organised at the teachers' own requests made during a Roundtable Education- Industry earlier this year. |
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Varia |
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- Welcome to our new Communication Manager
On 27 January, inDUfed and papier.be welcomed a new colleague to manage communications. Alexia has been shaping and leading marketing communications strategies for close to 20 years, both locally and internationally.
She has been active in a variety of management positions: in high-tech consulting, the European institutions and the law sector. She has also worked as a Strategic Communications consultant for clients in the health, sports, and finance sectors.
These experiences have enabled her to acquire a broad array of skills, both in corporate communications and B2B marketing. She is specialised in profiling, thought leadership and 360-degree multimedia campaigns. |
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- Like and subscribe to our LinkedIn account
inDUfed is on LinkedIn: (13) inDUfed Sustainable Goods: Company Page Admin | LinkedIn Should you not be subscribed yet, make sure to follow us, and like our posts.
The more likes and comments, the wider the news is likely to spread. |
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- Do not miss it! Exclusive 10% deal with Select Beople
At inDUfed, we aim to continuously improve our service offering to members. This means sometimes thinking out of the box to find the best deals to suit specific needs.
Outplacement having become an important mechanism in the HR toolbox, inDUfed has partnered with Select Beople to support you in providing former employees qualitative and cost-efficient outplacement support. As announced in our December newsletter, all members of inDUfed receive a 10% discount on outplacement services as well as on various other Select Beople services (Assessments, Training, Consulting, Coaching) upon subscription.
Watch out for more specifications in further communications; or contact us directly. |
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